Dance Marathon has a new vibe this year and a record number of volunteers pledging their time and money to support Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Dance Marathon held several events to help with fundraising for dancers last semester and will continue to hold events up until the night of the event, Feb. 23-24.
This year's marathon has a different feel from past years because of additional themes in the nightly programming, according to Maggie Stephens, the Dance Marathon entertainment chair.
"We've added different themes this year to make it more exciting and different so the whole event is not just one theme," Stephens said. "It's more exciting to have a changing atmosphere, and the entertainment and food corresponds with the theme."
Some of the themes accompanied by related musical entertainment and dance include carnival, ‘80's, country, Las Vegas and holidays. Claire Earll, a team leader for a group of dancers for the marathon, thinks the theme will add to the overall morale and enthusiasm of the night.
"The use of themes, really good catering, inventive food and exciting music will hopefully encourage people to be excited about the themes and want to stay the whole night," Earll said.
In addition to raising money and support for Children's Hospital through letter-writing campaigns across the country, this year Dance Marathon is approaching the event with a different expectation. According to the DM Assistant Director of Campus Relations, Natalie Roebuck, the executive board's focus this year is to spread awareness about DM around campus and encourage participation and attendance at the event.
"We're holding multiple events on campus to raise awareness about Dance Marathon because people still don't understand that everyone doesn't have to dance for 14 hours to really make a difference and help out with DM and raise money to help kids," said Roebuck. "Dance Marathon is more than that - it's an activities-a-thon where people can get together and have fun, even if they're not dancing, and it really helps the kids."
Dance Marathon is holding a spaghetti dinner this Thursday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Phi Delta house, right before the women's basketball game against UT at 5 p.m. Students, faculty, staff and all other supporters are encouraged to attend and raise money for the kids at the Children's Hospital. In addition, everyone who makes a donation receives a ticket and is entered into a drawing for a free American Airlines ticket.
"American Airlines has been a really great sponsor with us this year," Stephens said. "We really want to encourage people to come out and have dinner, come to the game, raise money for the Dance Marathon and the Children's Hospital, and maybe even win a roundtrip airfare!"
Recommended donations for the dinner are $8 at the door. Participants are still welcome to sign up and start raising money, and supporters can make donations both at the dinner and at a booth set up at the basketball game. Upcoming events planned for the rest of the semester preceding Dance Marathon include a Jail-and-Bail event where participants will be arrested and taken to a faux jail where they will encourage their friends and peers to post bail and help them raise the rest of their money before the Marathon.
"Dance Marathon's executive board has worked really hard this year," said Roebuck. "We are ahead in organization and participation and event planning, and this year's event is going to be bigger and better than in the past."
